The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass gives a first person perspective on the life of a slave laborer in both the rural south and the city. Frederick Douglass, having educated himself against terrible odds, was able to read and think endlessly about the evils of slavery and the reasons for its abolishment. Throughout the narrative, Douglass recounts his life as a slave, and many conclusions can be drawn based on the writings. The various hardships of slavery are seen through Douglass’ eyes, and are very powerful because of that. The primary reason for his disgust with slavery was its effect of dehumanizing the slaves, as well as their masters. Throughout his autobiography Frederick Douglass talks of the many ways a slave and master would be corrupted by the labor system that was so deeply entrenched in the south as a result of the cotton gin, the resulting demand in cotton, and other such labor-intensive crops. The master justified his actions through a self-serving religion and a conscious belief that slaves were meant to be in their place. However, Frederick Douglass noticed that in order to maintain the slaves’ belief in this system the master had to resort to trickery and the dissolution of a slave’s body and mind. According to Douglass, the treatment of a slave was worse than that of an animal. Not only was he valued as an animal, fed like an animal, and beaten like an animal, but also a slave was reduced to an animal when he was as much a man as his keeper. Douglass uses an example of a woman who had been found with a young man, Ned. The woman was stripped naked, tied up, and basically beaten to a pulp, bleeding all over (Douglass, ch1). This beating actually serves multiple purposes for the slave owner. First, this beating would teach a lesson to the woman whom he beat, by not only abusing her physically, but shaming her by making her strip down naked. But the more important part is the secondary effect the beating would have on the rest of the slaves the master owns. Whether they witness the beating firsthand, as Douglass did, or hear about it later through stories by the other slaves, chances are they would learn a lesson from the other slave’s beating, because they would not want to be beaten themselves. The mental faculty a slave had was diminished through the forbidden nature of reading and learning, as well as the constant drunkenness imposed on the slaves during holidays. In Douglass’ opinion, they were “among the most effective means in the hands of the slaveholder in keeping down the spirit of insurrection” (Douglass, ch10). The actual purpose these holidays served was to allow the slaves a way to vent, to celebrate out any rebellious spirit that they may have within themselves, by partying and drinking the day away. Douglass shames these activities as another part of the “gross fraud, wrong, and inhumanity of slavery,” because they represent a false pretense on the part of the masters (Douglass, ch10). While the slaves believe they are getting a favor by the slave master, the holidays are yet another one of the mental games played on the slaves to keep them in submission and under control. The most basic example of the mental games that contribute to the gross inhumanity of slavery is the fact that the slave would rarely know their family lineage, let alone who their father or mother was. While Douglass somewhat got to know his mother, he never really had a father. His father, according to practically everyone, was a white man, “... opinion was also whispered that my master was my father..." (Douglass, ch1). Although it is true that he knew his mother, it must be noted that they were separated while he was an infant and thereafter only met a total of four or five times. The fact was that Douglass was disconnected from his father, and did not know his family. By not knowing exactly where he came from, Douglass could never feel an entire sense of belonging, and had lost his...

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...Final Essay
In the book, Narrative of the Life of FrederickDouglass, an American Slave, Douglass chronicles his slave life during the mid 1800s. By informing his readership of the realities and cruelties of slavery, Douglass’ seeks to persuade Northerners to become involved in the abolitionist movement. He accomplishes this purpose by delivering his message throughout the entirety of the book -- slavery is harmful to all participants – with the effective utilization of ethos, logos, and pathos. The trio works to support his thesis, and this support therefore aids Douglass’ overall purpose. Although each of the argumentative devices is effective, the most powerful component is pathos, which is a quality that evokes pity or sadness. Unlike ethos or logos, pathos speaks directly to the readers, in this case the North, and profoundly influences their emotions and thoughts on the issue of slavery. Therefore, pathos is the most effective strategy in Douglass’ narrative because it accomplishes the author’s purpose by sufficiently delivering his message, through the manipulation of emotions to Northern readers.
Ethos is without a doubt an apparent strategy throughout Douglass’ narrative; in fact, the entire book is ethos. Douglass’ life was, at the time, living proof of the cruelties...

...The Narrative of the Life of FrederickDouglass
In the Narrative of the Life of FrederickDouglass we learn how a common “black slave” breaks the typical stereotype of a slave by becoming one of the most respected African American slaves in our countries history. From being born on a plantation in Talbot County, Maryland he learned first hand how brutal and unfair African American slaves were treated he knew he had to make a stand. In educating himself he learned to promote his ideals and gained respect from his fellow slaves about the injustice they are living under. Frederick knew the past was the past and he could change the present by educating other African American slaves, this is just one of the many reasons why FrederickDouglass name is talked about in early American history when talking about slavery. One major theme that I feel we can gather from Frederick is knowledge is the path to freedom.
For Frederick to being able to read and write was one of the first example of his motivation to not be a typical African American slave but always wanting more to better himself and help his fellow slaves. In growing up as a young slave on a plantation his future looked very doomed. As a young boy he witnessed how bad slaves were treated for example how his masters would brutally beat slaves...

...﻿NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF AN AMERICAN SLAVE
BY FREDERICKDOUGLASS
Nineteenth-century Americans witnessed the abolition of slavery due to the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, in 1865. FrederickDouglass was an African-American who not only witnessed the cruelty to slaves with his own eyes but also suffered personally from it. In his narration, FrederickDouglass exemplifies many of the atrocities that he himself suffered first hand from or was present to witness. As the novel progresses, the author presents the different sides of the slavery society pointing out that the factors which make it possible and lasting for so long were due to the lack of education giving us several example as the abuse against slaves.
The depravation of the masters and their lack of morality were two of the main reasons that women were made to live in a harsh period being sexually abused, punished without reason, and separated from their children. In the narration of FrederickDouglass, there are many times in which those facts are described. The first time that there is a reference to this matter is at the very beginning of the story, Douglass does not know his age either who his father is. There are rumors that his father is the master of his first slaveholder but his mother dies without telling him the truth of the...

...“Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission”-----Eleanor Roosevelt.
During the eighteenth century African people were considered “property” of their slaveholders and had no control over their own life. They were victims of psychological and physical brutal treatment. This story represents confinement, slavery and the lack of power African people had in such a racist society back in those days. African talents were absolutely wasted and they were considered inferior to white individuals. The “Narrative of the Life of FrederickDouglass” simply addresses that white society was causing negative effects to itself and that slavery must be abolished in order to shape a better world.
The depicted brutality narrated in Frederick Douglass’s autobiography starts when Douglass states that his former overseer, Mr. Plummer, “cuts and slashes the women’s heads so horribly, that even master would be enraged at his cruelty, and would threaten to whip him if he did not mind himself.” Accordingly, the author wants to convey to the public in general about how inhumanly African slaves were treated in the eighteenth century when he was a slave. He definitely tries to communicate this to the people by narrating it step by step with very detailed descriptions of the barbarian that happened back then. He uses a very unique writing style that keeps the reader engaged by using...

...The Role of Education in the Narrative
Slavery tends to be looked at casually by people in today's society. People have little knowledge of the truths that lie behind slavery. Many people view slavery as white plantation owners abusing the civil rights of colored people and forcing them to work using physical punishment to reinforce their authority over them. Although these events did occur, slavery was more complicated than this. FrederickDouglass' autobiography opened the door on a new view of what slavery was about. The main conflict in the story is Douglass' struggle to be free physically and mentally from slavery. He discovered at an early age that education was the key to freedom.
Slave owners were not ignorant to the fact that keeping slave's un-educated was the only way to maintain their power of enslavement. They start this process early age by cutting off the natural bond that is typically formed between a mother and her child. Douglass knew his mother very mildly and saw little of her before she passed. He was separated from her at birth because their master sold her to a different plantation by her master who sold her to another plantation. He never developed a natural relationship with his mother and, when she died he felt nothing. When his mother was sold he felt nothing because he didn't know her well: "The ties that ordinarily bind children to their homes were all...

...Tuesday, Thursday 11:00 to 12:20
The Narrative of the Life of FrederickDouglass, an American Slave, was the first of the three autobiographies that FrederickDouglass wrote himself. It’s a story about slavery and the meaning of freedom of the antebellum America. According to The Free Dictionary, Slavery is defined as the state or condition of being a slave; a civil relationship whereby one person has absolute power over another and controls his life, liberty, and fortune (freedictionary.com). Frederick Douglass’s book is about a bondage he obtained since birth; a slave for life. He was separated from his mother, Harriet Bailey, at birth and knew his father was white male. He lived on the “Great House Farm” plantation for his younger years; this is where he saw his first violent act towards a slave. Douglass went through many ups and downs. At the age of seven, he was moved to another house where he first learned reading and writing. However, He was beaten brutally so he can be “broken” into a good disciplined slave. Douglass describes many elements in his narrative; Douglass explains how slaveholders were able to sustain themselves with their actions. Frederick describes the ways the slaves stayed where they were and did not attempt to escape. He also addresses a number of...

...afterward. I had several fights, but was never whipped.” (Douglass, p. 43)
In Narrative of the Life of FrederickDouglass, Douglass’s lowest point is his first six months in which he was rented to Edward Covey. During this time Mr. Covey constantly abuses Douglas, both, physically and emotionally. Douglas is suppressed to the point that he loses all feelings of manhood and even loses his will to live, contemplating suicide. The fight Douglas has with Mr. Covey is the turning point in Douglas’s life. Through his triumphant victory in this fight, Douglas re-opens the door which was once closed off by the constant punishment by Mr. Covey, the door to Freedom. In the chosen paragraph from the reading, Douglas explains how the fight with Mr. Covey changed him forever. He uses the words “rekindled”, “revived”, “recalled” and “resurrection” when referring to his thoughts and feelings that had now been brought back to life. If this incident never occurred, Douglas may have never gained the strength to make himself a free man.
Referring to the victory he had over Mr. Covey, Douglas says, “It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of own manhood. It recalled the departed self-confidence, and inspired me again with a determination to be free.” (43). Up to that point, his experiences under the enslavement of Mr. Covey deprived him of...

...﻿Narrative of the Life of FrederickDouglass
“O, why was I born a man, of whom to make a brute... O God, save me! God, deliver me! Let me be free! Is there any God? Why am I a slave? I will run away. I will not stand it. Get caught, or get clear, I'll try it. I had as well die with ague as the fever. I have only one life to lose. I had as well be killed running as die standing. Only think of it; one hundred miles straight north, and I am free! Try it? Yes! God helping me, I will. It cannot be that I shall live and die a slave.”
FrederickDouglass’ autobiography book starts trying to give the basic information that a normal autobiography start place of birth age how his parents where but it is sad to see that he cant even start it without seeing how they treated him and all the salves diferrently there is no way to turn away from the cruelity that the slaves went through How they deprived the slaves of their human rights How sad it made him when he was a child not to know and celebrate his birthday
He was son of a black woman and a white man that he never knew who he was
His mother and him were separated at a very early age and died when he was seven years
He had two masters one called Anthony that was a “cruel man, hardened by a long life of slaveholding, He would at times seem to take great pleasure in whipping a slave” (p51) he experienced awful...

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